A group of about 10 of us arrived at Jackson's at 7:30 pm on a Sunday night in March. The restaurant was surprisingly busy, though one of the two bars in the huge restaurant was closed. We found the tall hostess with the short miniskirt, and she prepared our table, then seated us. We started with drinks; I was happy to have a fresh, cold Yuengling lager and Laura had a tasty house red wine. For my dinner I decided on the Creole grilled chicken, which was a bit of a disappointment. For $18 this meal came with a pile of chicken on a bed of mashed purple potato and covered with crawfish, andouille, and tasso (pork) etoufee with bleu cheese. The chicken was very dry and overcooked, but the etoufee was very tasty with just the right kick of spice.

This is a very nice and very popular restaurant. It was founded in 1997 and is still one of Tampa's very few waterfront restaurants (the only others I have been to are A Taste of Boston and Hulas, though there are a few others out by the airport). The interior is modern and trendy with deep colors and dim lighting. Jackson's is also a popular nightclub in a separate area of the building. The restaurant is easy to find, right on Harbor Island next to the Weston, walking distance from the trolley.